A light at the end of the box

Where has the time gone? I realize that it has been 2010 for two weeks already but I was only just getting used to 2009. And why is 2010 crawling by so slowly? Maybe it’s because of the -20 degree temperatures we’ve been having or because I have work up to my eyeballs after returning from the holidays or perhaps it’s because I’m feeling drained, both physically and creatively. After the knitting whirlwind that made up all of December I don’t know if I have energy for another stitch for awhile, yet I miss knitting. Does this make sense?

Similar to N getting her fancy, new and very awesome camera, I too got photo equipment for Christmas. This REAL light box arrived this week from my FIL. He and I are fellow gadget geeks and I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before but my husband sometimes tells me that he married his father, which is weird yet true. And the reason why I call this a real light box is that it will be replacing the plastic bin and random desk lamps that I’ve been using as a makeshift light box. This thing is fantastic and folds up into a flat pack that holds the two lamps that comes with it and the camera tripod. I'm still playing around with this but the options for different backgrounds and little, tiny sets is very exciting. Maybe this is just what I need to get the creative juices flowing again.

Random shot of crocheted peas.

Sharing the Contra Love

The oldest is giving me weird looks as I blast this.  I think she is confused as to how I could be this cool.  Shrug.

N

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

It's 2 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon, and we've just gotten dressed for reals, and the Bumblebee is doing the mambo or some kind of salsa all over the living room.  So far we've beaded, drawn thumbprint animals, knit, and embroidered.  The paperwhites are blooming, and they're definitely 'fragrant'.  :)   I'll kill it with some chili in the slow cooker 'cause tonight is field hockey practice, and we'll want to eat as soon as we walk in the door.   'Til then, I'ma gonna go back to the comfy couch and curl up with my sock knitting, a cup of tea, and a silly book.

Happy Sunday!

N

A Trip Down Memory Lane

This week, we came across an old CD loaded with pictures from 2005, and then we spent an entire night laughing and exclaiming how adorable those girls of ours were.  I'm not sure what the Bumblebee is doing here.  Possibly picking hair out of her mouth, or maybe she was caught stealing a cookie or something.   Who knows!  What I do know is that I want to gobble up that sweet little two-year old.   Her eyes are huge, and I loved that dress.  She had two of them, but the other had blue flowers where they're red on this one.   I am super glad that she grew out of the giant hair knot on the back of her head.  When she was a baby up until she was three or four, she would wake up with the nastiest knot in her hair on the back of her head.  I would brush it out each time with a vengeance, but as I brushed it out, her hair would get all static-y and stand in all directions.  It was the weirdest thing.  I do NOT miss that recurring knot!   The hair everywhere else on her head would look oddly normal as you see above.   I can't believe I didn't remember the hair until I saw all these pictures.   What else have I forgotten?

N

Biscuits du Citrouille a la Canelle

Once again, I found myself too lazy to go to the store to buy cookies for the girls' lunchboxes, so I found a cookie recipe to use up the canned pureed pumpkin that has been sitting in the refrigerator since Christmas.  Mmm . . .  Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.  Now I just have to pawn these puppies off as plain ol' oatmeal raisin to the littlest.   Please pray these are a hit 'cause I am much too lazy to bake more cookies.

N

PS.  I found the recipe in this book - mine's on loan from the library as are the majority of my books.  And yes, it's a children's cookbook.  So what?

A List of To Do's Today in No Particular Order

• 
  
  bake cranberry upside-down cake
• 
  
  clean foyer of boots and coats and skates
• 
  
  fetch clean towels for bathroom
• 
  
  shovel the driveway
• 
  
  put the kids to bed at a reasonable hour
• 
  
  finish the citron
• 
  
  breathe

One last day of holidays, and we'll be back at work and school.  There are things to do!!

N

PS. A warning to all of you Sequence sharks out there, the littlest has figured it out and makes an excellent opponent or ally depending on where you're sitting at the table.  Just saying.

A New Year

Happy 2010, everyone! 

We've spent all morning staring out the window at the snow swirling around and making everything a little lighter and whiter.  We've also been keeping an eye on the bird feeders we made yesterday with pinecones, birdseed and lard.  So far, all we've managed to catch is a bright red and very plump cardinal pecking away at the pinecones.

All this work requires another cup of tea. 

N